A voters scouting aid, to be used with a healthy dose of INFORMED CONSCIENCE, which is conscience which knows the facts, and what is required by one of the church, wherein one can choose to do right, or wrong!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

In response to a request for clarity on seeming insinuation of DA discrimination for Homosexual candidates, the DA, has responded to our concerns. Gavin Davis, the Chief of Staff of the Da's Office of The Leader, whom I have corresponded with in the past, has responded to our concerns on behalf of Christian voters. The following is an email reply we received from him today:

2009/3/10 Gavin Davis

Dear Marc

Thank you for your email.

As I mentioned in previous correspondence, DA public representatives have a free vote on issues of conscience including civil unions. To my knowledge, Mr Ollis has never said that the DA is for civil unions. He has expressed his personal view, which he has every right to do. But it does not represent the view of the party.

As far as the DA’s lists are concerned, there is no discrimination either for or against people from any particular group, whether based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

I hope this answers your question.

Kind regardsGavin

We have asked that the DA monitor their facebook group better, and are pleased that their national policy seems the same. It does seem odd, that Ian Ollis, should make such a point, as he did, and that he seems to have insinuated certain things, which would make the DA a less acceptable party to vote for.

As it is, they maintain their status on our acceptable vote list. Due to the positions of their leadership. We do hope that the DA will look into the claims by Ian Ollis, involving the Gauteng list, and sexual orientation.

Ok, so huge numbers of people have been asking about the gay thing, so I decided we should start a discussion on the board! Currently, the DA has a large number of gay (LGBTI) people as public rep's either as MP's MPL's and Councillors around the country. Yes, I am one of them! On our election lists for the 2009 general elections, I was extremely happy to see the number of gay people that have been chosen on the lists for parliament and the various provinces as candidates. A case in point is the Gauteng Parliamentary Candidates list. I am currently one of 5(that I know of) gay or lesbian people in the top 16 positions on the list. That is a huge plus for the party and for our representivity. Show me one other party in SA that has that many? An many of us, like myself, Mike Waters, Paul Willemburg are very out about our sexuality. we are not a pink party however. We support equal rights for gay people, just as we support say, the equal rights of both genders, all races and each language group in the country. For those of you out there who are thinking of voting DA and for whom this is an issue, rest assured, the DA is the party that most represents the rights and views of gay people and not just in words. we have actions that support what we say! Viva Helen Viva!"

Ian Ollis, is the 11th member listed on the DA's GAUTENG NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LIST listing. I see no reason to discount that the person speaking is him.

Last year, when asking the DA, whether or not they had altered their policy on gay marriage, their answer to our organization was no: they still had no policy. This was after a decision involving Internation Politics, which technically favored "Gay Marriage".

We have requested a reply from the Democratic alliance, on this issue, since, having seen this admittal by a potential MP.

This was posted on their facebook group.

The DA, has also refused to alter the constitution, so that abortion is clearly relegated to the criminal arena, as any South African, no matter their age, can legally request an abortion. The only restrictions in South Africa, seem to focus on protecting the mother's health. The Judiciary, largely seems to have a certain view of the Constitution, and some believe that if South Africa's abortion laws are overturned, they will overturn the nullification of ANC: African National Congress: policy. This trial has yet to occur however.

Such moves either mean nothing, or everything. The DA would not have succeeded in changing the constitution, and so their choice had no effect, but they seemed to say that the constitution was over in 1994.

If the DA values their Pro-life, pro-family, pro-catechism voters, I suggest that they clarify this issue: as one of their representatives seems to be saying that they have purposely placed a large portion of homosexual voters on their parliamentary list high up. Such would mean a pragmatic change in a possibly neutral vote on a pro-life issue: marriage.

Such calls into account: how does the DA stand on other issues of policy, such as abortion: another issue, of importance to Christians voting. If they are that sort of "liberals" now, leaving what I would have thought was the PFP behind, then: where else are they liberal. America's Democratic Party has jumped on both issues, so have many others. Such concern lies not in homosexual ideas, which generally may change from each to each: but what is considered liberalism in many nations.

Both support of "Gay Marriage", and support of abortionist policies, are issues which make a party very unlikely to be the best for Catholic voters. The question is whether or not the DA is still neutral on these issues, or if they simply are officially neutral, but have hidden practical policies.

I would like it if the DA were to reply to my request.

Can the DA say that it is still neutral on these morally concerning issues to Christian voters?

If the man above is not Ian Ollis, I request that the DA inform us, as it is, I suspect it is the DA potential Parliamentarian, and I hope that the DA, is not discriminating against heterosexuals in their representation in parliament.

A deep interest in the law of South Africa, especially our constitutional and common law, guided my studies and continues to influence my current career path. I enjoy engaging in the day to day work of being an attorney, and reading the material contained in our case law.

After graduating Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of the Witwatersrand, where I had enrolled for, and passed, the maximum number of courses ordinarily permitted, I completed, with distinction, the Law Society’s School for Legal Practice full-time 6-month practical legal training course.

I have gained and enjoyed much exposure to the law and to the day to day details of practice, and to extensive litigation work, during my years of practise since my admission to the profession and enrolment as an attorney of the High Court, as well as during my articles of clerkship and, prior to that, when I worked as a student counsellor/paralegal at the Wits Law Clinic – in the final year of law school and during my studies at the School for Legal Practice.

I am passionate about the place of my birth, South Africa, and am proud to be a patriot and citizen of this diverse and beautiful nation. I consider myself a global citizen and keep connections in a number of different nations across the world. Communicating with people from other cultures, I believe, has aided me to have a more open-minded approach in so far as how I see, and interact with, the world.

I believe success requires not just hard work but intelligence, perseverance, humility, integrity, ingenuity, diligence, a strong work ethic, and the courage to request the assistance of those better-versed in a matter, or field, where necessary.

The cultures and legal systems, morals and courtesy systems, languages, intricacies and religions of South Africa and of the nations of the world, are subjects I love to research. I enjoy reading and writing. To keep abreast with important events occurring in other countries, I find my knowledge of other languages, especially French, to be highly useful. I passed Afrikaans at a matric level. I took Zulu from grades 5 to 7. The language I am best acquainted with, is my first language of English, which I speak in everyday life.

I enjoy public speaking and debate, and believe that manners, appropriate dress for an occasion and courtesy are of very great importance. I enjoy hard work and like to throw myself entirely into solving a problem.

I currently practise on my own account under the name and style of Marc Evan Aupiais Attorney, having opened my practise as of 1 October 2017.

Law firms I have worked at include: DL Wilson Attorneys in Randburg North, Desmond Barry Attorneys in Morningside, Sandton, Botha & Sutherland Attorneys in Aukland Park, Johannesburg, and Serina Govender Inc. Attorneys. I also edit and write for the SACNS, have written breaking news for a multinational service called InfosNews Breaking News, and act as a correspondent for the popular french language Les News service.

Novels I have written include

A Lesser Instinct | My first foray into the world of long form fiction.